KOBE AT STAPLES AS LAKERS SNATCH 2ND WIN
LOS ANGELES— When Kobe Bryant took a courtside seat in the first quarter, Staples Center buzzed with excitement for the mere sight of the most popular athlete in the building’s history. The crowd even started a “Kobe! Kobe!” chant in the fourth quarter—and it was immediately drowned out by cheers when LeBron James hit a 3-pointer. With the symbol of the Los Angeles Lakers’ past watching in approval, James and the Lak- ers’ young core proved that their present and future is pretty tantalizing, too.
James had 28 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds while leading a late rally for his first home victory with the Lakers, 128-111 over the previously unbeaten Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
James and Bryant didn’t get a chance to talk, but the longtime friendly rivals likely both left happy with the Lakers’ new direction after James’ first triple-double for LA.
“Of course I noticed him sit- ting right on the baseline over there,” James said. “One of the all-time Laker greats. What he’s done for this franchise in his 20plus years here speaks wonders for me. To be able to compete against him all those years, and for me to be able to share a jersey, the same jersey as him at this point, is pretty special.”
With Bryant in attendance for the first time since LeBron’s arrival in LA, Kyle Kuzma scored 22 points and JaVale McGee added 21 to complement James’ 74th career triple-double.
But the result was even more impressive: The Lakers trailed by eight points with six minutes left in the fourth quarter before Lance Stephenson, who finished with 12 points, started a 15-2 rally with backto-back 3-pointers.
James got Staples Center rocking on a go-ahead dunk with 3:31 to play before Lonzo Ball made an artful step-back 3pointer. Kuzma added two huge dunks down the stretch of Los Angeles’ second win in two days after a 0-3 start. OTHER RESULTS: Celts 101, Thunder 95; Blazers 128, Magic 114; Pistons 110, Cavs 103